When I Was Young I Knew Everything
by she.a.punk
Summary: Harvey's new client has history with Mike. And when has that ever been good for the young associate? Let the friendship fic commence!
1. She A Punk Who Rarely Ever Took Advice

**A/N**: Here's my next venture. Hope it is as well received as the last!  
><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Oh how I adore Gabriel Macht and Patrick J Adams...and the entire show really, but, alas, they belong not to me.

**Chapter One – She A Punk Who Rarely Ever Took Advice**

"Harvey," Donna poked her head through the glass door of the office and Harvey glanced up at her, "your three o'clock is on her way up."

Harvey nodded and went back to his lap top. "Thanks Donna. Send her in as soon as she gets here."

Harvey's fingers flew over the keys with ease born of practice, but not so much so that he was not reminded of how much he tended to hate the thing, high tech electronics as a whole actually. While his smart phone came in handy most of the time, he still preferred the old corded one he kept bolted to his kitchen wall, no matter how many odd looks it got from the occasional woman he brought home. He was a pen and ink, records and white noise kind of guy, societal pressures be dammed.

He glanced up from the screen and saw a slight, well dressed woman in Coach heels and long blonde hair pulled back in a severe ponytail striding toward his office. Finishing up his email to Jessica, he stood, closing the lid on the laptop and buttoning the second button on his suit jacket.

Harvey rounded the corner of his desk toward the door just as his three o'clock was sent through, ignoring the raised eyebrow Donna sent him over her shoulder. And of course, the redhead was right. The woman was attractive, doubtless, but she was a client, first and foremost, and it was against Harvey's policy to mix business with pleasure.

"Ms. Ronson I presume? Nice to meet you, Harvey Specter."

The woman was young, younger than some of their associates he guessed, with bright blue eyes and black nailpolish. She shook his outstretched hand and gave him a confident smile, but the tight grip she kept on her last season Prada bag gave away her nerves.

"Mr. Specter, so nice to finally meet you. You come highly recommended at Birch Books."

Harvey smiled charmingly at the compliment and waved his hand toward the couch, indicating they should sit. The woman crossed her legs at the ankles, and laced her fingers, laying them lightly in her lap.

"It's always nice to know Mr. Birch hasn't forgotten about me."

The woman smiled, shaking her head, "no. He certainly hasn't. Hardly an office party goes by when he doesn't rave about how well he did after both his divorces due to your careful eye."

Again, Harvey smiled, pleased, and leaned forward to the pitcher of water on the table, turning over a couple of glasses.

"Water?"

She nodded, and Harvey saw her swallow hard, her smile becoming more forced by the minute.

"Mr. Birch says you're the best."

Harvey looked up from the pitcher. It wasn't a question, but the look in the woman's eyes seemed to be searching for assurance of the fact.

He nodded, "I am."

For the first time a bit of fire lit in her blue eyes and she smirked.

"Cocky?" She challenged.

He handed her the glass of water and went to pour himself one. "You know my record, Ms. Ronson. That's why you're here."

He sat back in the chair, crossing his legs and asked smoothly. "Do you think I'm cocky?"

She stared at him a moment, and then shook her head, looking at her water.

"I suppose we'll see."

Harvey nodded, allowing a moment of silence to settle in. Obviously she was nervous, be it from the nature of the case she was bringing to him or the fact that there were very few people he'd met over the years who didn't find him somewhat intimidating, he wasn't yet sure. But behind the nerves he could also see a shadow of the strength and intelligence that had gotten her up the ranks to Editor at one of the biggest book publishers in New York at such a young age.

"So, Ms. Ronson,"

"Samantha is fine."

"Samantha then," He nodded, "and you can call me Harvey. Shall we get down to business?"

The woman gulped down the rest of the glass of water and took a deep breath, laughing somewhat nervously at the look he gave her.

"I guess I'm a little tense." She leaned forward to set the glass on the table and looked at him, "I'm being sued."

Harvey nodded, that much he knew. "Okay. What for?"

Samantha sighed again and readjusted her position on the couch. "My former assistant is suing me for wrongful termination and sexual harassment. He's claiming I came on to him and then fired him when he didn't return my advances." She shook her head, a bitter twist on her lips. "Same old story."

Harvey looked at her thoughtfully.

"And is it true?"

Samantha's gaze locked to his and she narrowed her eyes.

"I fired him because he was lazy and useless and a chauvinistic pig who didn't like having a woman for a boss."

Harvey sighed, he'd met plenty of lawyers over the years who felt the same way. They didn't tend to last long at Pearson Hardman. Harvey, for one, had never really had a problem with it. It was a big part of the reason he and Jessica got along so well. He didn't hide any qualms about having a female boss, he just didn't have any.

"Okay." Harvey nodded, "give me and my associate a few days to look into this, gather some information on both sides of the story and we'll meet again at the end of the week."

Samantha took a deep breath and nodded, moving to stand, and Harvey followed.

"Thank you very much Harvey," she said, extending her hand for him once again, "I can't wait for this all to be put behind me."

Harvey smiled charmingly again and began walking her toward the door. "My pleasure Samantha. My assistant Donna will be getting in touch with you to set up a good time for us to meet."

The woman nodded and made one last attempt at a smile before Harvey opened the door for her and she started making her way back toward the elevators. As soon as she was out of earshot Donna stood up beside him, very aware of the appraising look Harvey was giving the young woman as she walked away.

"Down boy." She said, smirking.

Harvey gave her an affronted look, "you know me better than that, Donna."

The redhead sat down again, waving off the comment as if it was an annoying fly at a picnic. "I know I know, business and pleasure."

"That's right," he reached up to needlessly straighten his tie, "I'll wait until the case is over before I submit her to the full brunt of Specter Charm."

Donna kept her eyes to the screen so Harvey wouldn't see her roll them. "Your self-control astounds."

Harvey didn't get a chance to respond, or tell her he could see her reflection in the computer screen, because at that moment Mike came barreling up to him from down the hall, doing a near sprint.

"Harvey, Harvey," he panted, earning a 'whats _wrong _with you' look from both the man himself and his secretary, "who was that leaving your office?"

Harvey sighed, returning to his office. "That was Samantha Ronson. Our new client. She's a young editor from Birch Books and she," he cut himself off when he realized the associate wasn't followed him. He gave a confused look to Donna, who merely pointed down the hall toward the elevators, not even looking up from the paper she was scanning on her desk.

"What the hell?"

* * *

><p>"Samantha!" Mike burst out of the stairwell still going at a dead sprint even after thirteen flights of stairs. His mind was buzzing, his chest heaved from more physical exertion than he'd had in the past five years (because a fifteen minute bike to work didn't count for as much as you'd think it would) and he had no idea what he would say when he caught up to the woman.<p>

Her stilettos clicked purposefully and echoed in the marble lobby that was mercifully empty, save a couple of security guards and a pair of computer techs from the third floor. The clicking stopped as Mike rounded the corner and she tilted her head at him as he skidded to a stop.

His heart pounded for a whole new reason as the woman's eyes narrowed and her eyebrows came together, critical blue eyes looking him up and down. He made a pass at smoothing down his jacket, but it had no effect on the wrinkles he'd acquired from being bent over a desk all day.

"Mike?" She asked quietly, clearly unsure of what she was seeing.

He sighed and took another step forward, he shrugged. Distantly, he recognized the dinging of the elevator and knew it had to be Harvey investigating what had sent his associate flying from the office like it was on fire. Or, more likely, to make sure whatever it was that sent his associate flying from the office like it was on fire didn't jeopardize Pearson Hardman's relationship with a new client.

Well, Mike thought ruefully, too late for that.

"What are you doing here?" They asked in unison, and Mike would have smiled, if not for the clearly not amused, not impressed, and _not having any of it_ look on Samantha's face.

He sighed and made a vague gesture with his hands, "I work here."

Samantha tilted her head, her eyes narrowing dangerously and her lips pursed, her hands balled into fists at her sides. Harvey chose that moment to step in.

"Is there a problem here?" He asked in his best, _I'm in control and can handle this situation _manner, giving a reassuring look to Samantha and a scathing one to Mike.

Mike looked past him toward the woman and sighed, his next words apparently physically paining him to utter aloud.

"This is Samantha Ronson. My sister."

TBC

**_Don't worry, all shall be revealed in due course. This is AU in that I'm inventing things in Mike's back story, but I'm not going to be disregarding any information from the show, only adding in my own information in some of the empty spaces._  
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	2. Can't Be Held Responsible

**A/N**: To show my love for my _few _but _enthusiastic _reviews, I shall UPDATE!

**Chapter Two – Can't Be Held Responsible**

After the longest, most awkward elevator ride ever, Harvey used his impressive skills as a 'people reader' and had the forethought to lead the trio to a seldom used conference room on the far corner of the building. It still had glass walls, but between the maintenance room and the broom closet it didn't have near the foot traffic of looky-loos that the other conference rooms enjoyed.

Once there, Samantha made it clear she was well aware of the fact that Mike had never gone to college for anything, let alone a law degree. And immediately after that, Mike spilled the whole story to her and Harvey was planning to call him an idiot for that later (because had the whole 'if someone pulls a gun on you' speech just gone completely over his head?).

But, despite the long, complicated quality of the story, Samantha seemed to have latched onto one particular part.

"How could you do that?" She asked in a small voice, from her seat at the conference table across from Harvey. "How could you not tell me you needed help paying for Grandma's bills? I have the money to help, Mike. Why didn't they even call me?"

Mike sighed and stopped pacing, leaning against the wall with an exhausted, resigned look on his face that made Harvey frown imperceptibly.

"I'm older, I was the primary on the care list."

"Older, not more responsible." Samantha shot back, still shaking her head at the shiny lacquered table.

"Regardless," Mike snapped, and Harvey could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen Mike so worked up. The kid was usually pretty hard to rile. Harvey knew, he took great pleasure in succeeding. "You had made it quite clear you wanted nothing to do with me. I wouldn't even _know_ how to get in contact with you."

"My number hasn't changed in five years Mr. Photographic Memory," she said, giving Mike a _get real _sort of stare, "and my office always knows where I am. You could have tried."

"Oh, like you?"

Samantha shot up out of her chair. "That's not fair! What was I supposed to do? You were always high, always with that scumbag Trevor. Was I just supposed to wait around and keep the apartment stocked with potato chips and lighters until you ended up in jail or worse?" Samantha's voice rose steadily and, with it, so did Harvey.

"Alright, let's just settle down," he held up his hands and looked, first at Samantha, then Mike. The girl looked upset, with a hint of _lost_ and _alone_ behind it. He recognized the look from seeing it on Mike so many times, and trying to ignore it. His associate on the other hand looked mildly sheepish, no doubt remembering whatever it was Samantha was talking about and Harvey was missing. "I understand there's a lot of history here and I've got no problem with you two duking it out," he turned back to Samantha, "but not until _after _we've wrapped up your case."

The mention of her lawsuit seemed to bring some reason back to her and Samantha blinked, standing down from her defensive posture. She started shaking her head.

"No, I can't do this. I'll find another firm to handle my case." She turned to gather her things and tried to push past Harvey to get out the door, he stepped aside, allowing her to pass.

Briefly, he caught a look of panic in Mike's eyes.

_Good_, Harvey thought, before the idea occurred to him that maybe he was concerned about his sister walking out the door, and not so much that he had just lost them a client.

Well, one problem at a time.

Harvey spoke up as soon as she touched the door handle.

"That's your right Samantha, but I don't think you will."

"Oh no?" She whirled around, taking the bait.

"Nope," Harvey casually pushed his hands into his pockets. "Because you came to me because I'm the best. Well, Mike is the best too, that's why he works with me. So, whatever history you two may have together, is really none of my concern. My concern is making sure you don't get the pants sued off you in this lawsuit, and I guarantee you there isn't a lawyer in the city who stands a better chance of making sure that doesn't happen than I do."

Samantha stared at him for a moment, big blue eyes and biting her lip. Harvey easily stood his ground, chin dipped low, eyebrows high, knowing her decision had already been made the second she chose not to walk through that door. He just had to wait for her to know it too.

Finally, after what Mike felt like was an eternity, Samantha nodded.

"Call me when you're ready," was all she said, and pushed through the door, out of sight within moments.

Harvey took a deep breath and turned around, facing Mike.

"As for you."

Mike shook his head. "I don't want to hear it Harvey," he held up his hands. "She's my sister, okay?" He restated, as if that would explain everything.

And in a way, it kind of did.

Harvey shook his head, stepping up until he was nearly in Mike's face.

"I don't give a damn who she is, you will _never _act that way around a client again, am I clear?"

Mike glanced toward the door and back to Harvey.

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem. I don't have any other sisters." He gave a small shrug and Harvey shook his head. Turning away, he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. A glance at his watch surprised him with the late hour, it was nearly five.

"Look, go home, get some rest," he said, telling himself if was because it was technically the end of the firm's work day, and not because he felt like the kid could probably use some extra rest after the afternoon he'd had. "We'll start first thing in the morning disproving this guy's accusations against Samantha."

Mike nodded, moving to grab the thin file of information they'd already gathered for the case.

"Just so you know, she's innocent of all this." Mike commented once they were walking side by side back toward the main part of the office.

Harvey rolled his eyes, "you're a bit biased, don't you think?"

"No, Harvey, I made a statement of fact. Samantha didn't do the things this guy says she did."

"And how can you be so sure?" Harvey looked over when Mike didn't immediately respond. The associate seemed to be struggling with something.

Finally, he sighed. "The guy's just not her type."

"Really? That's your argument?" Harvey scoffed.

Mike shook his head, "I just know okay, Harvey? I'm positive." They stopped in front of his cubical, most all the other associates had gone home for the evening, "And I'll find the evidence to prove it to you."

Harvey just tilted his head as if to say _go right ahead _and turned to continue toward his office, a small smirk creeping across his lips.

"Good boy."

TBC

**_Tell me what you think!_**


	3. What Made Us Think That We Were Wise

**A/N**: Thanks so much for all the alerts and reviews! They make this fic, and all the effort that goes in, worth it!

**Disclaimer:** I should probably mention that, in addition to _Suits_, I also do not own_ The Verve Pipe_

**Chapter Three – What Made Us Think That We Were Wise**

Mike sat on the floor of Harvey's office propped up against the couch with six months worth of email correspondence and texts spread out around him. It was long since dark out and the only light on their floor came from Harvey's office. His shirt was wrinkled and he'd rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, his tie and jacket discarded in the corner of the couch.

Harvey sat at his desk, wincing at the twinge in his back from being hunched over for hours on end, looking just as exhausted as Mike with one discarded coffee cup in his trash to go with each empty can of red bull beside the associate.

"Oh my God," Mike groaned loudly, stretching his arms up over his head and then scrubbing his face rigorously. He blinked and looked at Harvey who also leaned away from his desk to stretch.

"I'm not even sure these are in English anymore," Mike said with a tired smile.

Harvey hmm'd in response, too tired to respond to the associate's idle chit chat and stood to walk over to the boxes of pizza sitting on the table by the door. It had been cold for hours by now, but his body was demanding something to replace the energy it wasn't getting from proper sleep. Still, Harvey would think twice before allowing Mike to decide where they ordered take out from again.

"So tell me something," Harvey said turning around, pretending he didn't notice when Mike's head snapped up, mid nod-off.

"What's that?" He asked around a large yawn.

"Where's the last name Ronson come from? Is she your half sister?"

Mike shook his head, shifting papers off his lap to stand, an excuse to answer without looking at the older man.

"It was my mother's maiden name." Mike sighed, pushing his hands in his pockets as he stared at the darkened buildings and the street lights glowing several floors below. "She legally changed it when she turned eighteen and went to college," he said, his voice sounding far away. "Like she said, she didn't want anything to do with her screw up brother."

Harvey tilted his head and crossed the room, torn between apathy and curiosity. But Mike didn't open up like this often and Harvey made it his business to know as much about his associate as possible, if for no other reason than to protect himself (and by extension, the kid) from whatever craziness might pop up from his past (like a sister no one knew about, for example). So he did what an old law professor taught him to do when he wasn't quite sure what to say.

He listened.

"I'm a year older than Samantha, fifteen when our parents died but…I wasn't there for her the way I should have been. She was just a kid, missing her parents, needing her brother," Mike shook his head at the memory, "and all I could think about was the next time Trevor and I could get high." Mike sighed and leaned his forehead forward until it was pressed against the cool glass.

"I knew she hated it. I knew Gram hated it but…it was the only way I knew to not feel like the world was out of control…Sam couldn't wait to get out of there and away from all of it. She was never happy on the third floor," he met Harvey's eyes with a rueful smile, "she's always been penthouse material."

Harvey could tell he was trying to be brave, smiling sheepishly and looking him in the eye. But the message in his eyes was clear as day. _Please don't make fun of me for this, _and Harvey felt an unpleasant turn in his gut that the kid would even think he would do something like that.

"Shouldn't be so hard on yourself Mike," he said quietly, turning back to look out the window, "she might have been just a kid, but so were you."

Mike smiled at the uncharacteristically kind comment and felt that surge of warmth he sometimes got when Harvey approved of something he did or played along with some of his childish schemes.

"Now get me some evidence to clear her name."

Mike grinned fully.

"Yessir."

SuitsSuitsSuits

Harvey was dominating in court the next day and Mike felt the familiar mix of pride and awe as he watched him work. His swagger and confidence, that slight smirk on his lips that said he knew what the other attorney was going to say even before he said it. Mike found himself grinning into his hand after more than one snappy comeback to something the other attorney said. After all, it was in poor taste to be wearing the 'it's in the bag' face right there in open court.

But all those good feelings faded when the plaintiff, Roger Goodman, took the stand. Harvey would be the second to question the witness and opposing council was good, leaving very little room for Harvey to object to anything said. Not to mention the plaintiff was young, attractive and, Mike had to admit, extremely sympathetic.

Harvey was _not _happy.

He sat rigid in his chair, glaring daggers at the back of the lawyer's head. Mike found himself craning his neck to see around his sister, who sat between them, trying to gauge Harvey's reaction to each question posed.

Until the person sitting between them caught his attention a little bit more.

Samantha had been sitting quietly throughout the trial, respectful and likable, just like Harvey had told her to be. But when Roger took the stand, she didn't so much sit in her seat as remain frozen in it. And her whole face was red, a trait she shared with her brother when upset, and her hands were glowing white from wringing them in her lap.

Mike leaned over, whispering. "Are you okay?"

It wasn't until she turned to look at him that Mike realized there were tears standing in his sister's blue eyes.

"He's lying," she whispered back, voice sad and tear-broken, rocketing Mike back to a time when they were both just kids. He remembered the sting of tears he thought he was too old to shed, and the feeling of his grandmother's hand in his, and the way Samantha had been inconsolable the entire ride to the cemetery. And he remembered how it had broken his heart to hear her cry.

Suddenly Harvey leapt out of his seat, startling Mike back to the present.

"Objection your Honor, hearsay."

"Don't you object to me Mr. Specter, she violated me!" Roger erupted from the stand, "She treated me like a piece of meat! And when I didn't submit to her demands she dedicated herself to ruining my life. I'm the one who should _object_."

Harvey was shouting for the judge to do something about the witness, the witness continued to argue his case, the judge banged his gavel for order and the opposing lawyer insisted his client had the right to be heard. And in the confusion Samantha shot out of her chair and ran from the room.

That brought everything to a screeching halt and Mike felt his face go hot with anger when he caught sight of a self satisfied smirk on Rodger's face before he schooled his features again. Harvey looked mad enough to chew nails.

"Alright, we're going to have a ten minute recess," the judge banged his gavel again, "and councilor, when we come back I expect you to have your client under control." He said, eyeing the other attorney critically. Harvey didn't even try to suppress the smirk that crossed his face at that.

He turned around to leave the courtroom after his client and associate, but stopped short. His associate was still sitting at the table.

"Mike, what the hell are you still doing here?" He asked sharply.

The kid looked a cross between confused and panicked.

"I'm-I," he stammered and then stood up, "You told me never to walk out in the middle of a trail."

Harvey's face softened minutely, and if Mike hadn't been spending as much time with the normally apathetic lawyer as he had he would have missed it completely.

"Kid, you don't have to be a genius to know these are extenuating circumstances." Harvey said and Mike glanced over his shoulder toward the doors, and then back again.

A million things he could say came to Harvey's mind when Mike looked back at him, his young face hopeful and uncertain.

_She's your sister. _

_Be there for her now the way you weren't before._

_Don't screw up this second chance, hardly anybody gets one._

_She needs you. _

But all he did was raise his eyebrows in that 'you're an idiot' way and tilt his head towards the doors.

"_Go._"

SuitsSuitsSuits

He found her sitting on a small cement bench just outside the courthouse. It was midday and the surrounding area was deserted. Mike slowed as he approached her, taking deep breaths to keep himself grounded in the present.

It was just that, with her head tilted just so and her hair falling in her face holding her arms across her body and legs crossed tightly like that, Mike was struck breathless with how _young_ she looked and with how impossible it was that she still looked _just like _their mother.

"Hey," he said quietly standing beside her. He put his hands in his pockets, unsure if it was still his place to reach a comforting hand toward her.

She looked up at him, a brave smile and tears standing in her eyes.

She shook her head. "What am I gonna do, Mikey?" She asked, the term of endearment rolling off her lips without a thought. "All those things he said…God…what would Mom and Dad think?"

Mike sunk down to sit beside her, keeping his eyes locked on hers.

"I'll tell you exactly what they'd think. They'd think he was a bold-faced liar. And…they'd be proud of you, Sam," he said quietly. "You're the youngest editor at Birch Books. You put yourself through NYU…you buy your own Christian Louboutins for crying out loud." He shook his head at her and smiled fully, coaxing a small smile from her in return. "They would be _so _proud of you."

She laughed lightly, more comforted than she wanted to admit by her big brother's praise.

"You too you know," she said after a moment. She clarified when Mike turned to look at her, "they'd be proud of you…just like I am."

Mike quirked his lips sheepishly. "I don't know. Everything I got I lied to get so…" He trailed off and Samantha interrupted forcefully.

"No," she insisted, "they would proud."

Mike gave her the strongest smile he could muster and let himself relax a little beside her, sitting his elbows on his knees. He turned to look when he felt a weight on his shoulder and felt warmth spread across his chest, seeing Sam resting her head there.

"I'm sorry Mikey."

The smile dissolved into a frown. There were tears in her voice.

"For what?" He asked, bouncing his shoulder slightly so that she was forced to sit up and look at him.

She rubbed delicately at her nose and shrugged her eyes full of tears again.

"For being so hard on you. For…saying the things I said all those years ago…for never…understanding." She took a deep breath and swallowed and Mike didn't dare interrupt, lest his voice give away the tears he was so valiantly keeping out of his eyes.

"I never meant…I didn't…" she shook her head and looked at her hands, tilting her head forward so her hair covered her face again, "they were your parents too…I don't know why I couldn't see that."

Mike stared at her long blonde hair for several seconds, overwhelmed by the sensation of being _light _for the first time in years. He hadn't realized what a weight was on his shoulders all this time until just then, when Samantha lifted it.

He reached out, tucking several locks of blonde hair behind her ear, revealing her face.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," he smiled sadly at her, "we were only kids."

Samantha nodded, getting his point. But her face started to crumple with tears again, only this time Mike didn't hold back. He reached over and hugged her to him, allowing his sister to wrap her arms around him and soak his shirt collar with tears. He tucked her head under his chin and stroked the back of her head the way he remembered their grandmother doing after a bad dream. So many bad dreams.

It took a few moments but eventually the tears stopped and their grips on one another loosened.

He took her face in his hands, smoothing his thumbs over her cheeks to clear away the tears.

"You ready to go finish this?"

Samantha closed her eyes but nodded. He helped her up and followed her back inside.

"You really think Harvey can win this?" She asked quietly, sounding cautiously hopeful. Mike looked up toward the doors at the end of the hallway and caught sight of Harvey watching them approach. He stood with his hands in his pockets, looking every bit the confident, all-business, undefeated lawyer he was.

"Yeah," Mike nodded, "I know he can."

As they got closer Harvey caught Samantha's eye and tilted his head, making sure all was well. Samantha gave him a quick nod and strode past him, taking her seat at the front of the room with her head held high. Mike stopped just outside the doors beside his boss.

"We good?" Harvey asked, his eyes glued to Roger Goodman and buttoning his suit.

"He made my sister cry, Harvey," Mike said, his voice low and dangerous and so angry that Harvey had to turn and look at him to make sure it was indeed Mike he was talking to.

Mike turned a dark look toward Harvey and set his jaw.

"Destroy him."

With that he went to join his sister at the table.

"Consider it done," Harvey muttered to himself, the last to enter the courtroom before the trial reconvened. He glanced at Mike. The associate's face was soft and open again, no trace of the hard-edged, fearsome man he'd seen at the doors a moment before. "Now if only we could get you to do that on command, kid. You'd be unbeatable." Harvey lamented to himself. He sighed, and lifted his chin, raising his voice to be heard throughout the room.

"Your honor, the defense calls to the stand Roger Goodman."

Mike caught Harvey's look as the plaintiff took the stand and didn't even attempt to cover his smile. He leaned over to Samantha and then motioned toward Roger.

"Guy's never gonna know what hit him."

TBC

**_Only one more chapter!  
><em>**


	4. And A Shoe Full Of Rice

**A/N**: Thanks again so so so so so much for all the kind reviews! I'm definitely not a lawyer, and originally had not planned to have any of Harvey doing the questioning in this fic, but the readers seemed to want it and, in the end, I realized the story needed it. But I'm nowhere near as brillinat as Harvey so you'll just have to kind of imagine that court scene from _Legally Blonde_ mixed with a dash of Alan Shore from_ Boston Legal_ (because those were the youtube clips that my 'research' for this chapter entailed) and take for granted that he is, in fact, brilliant. I hope everyone enjoys this last chapter!

**Chapter Four – And A Shoe Full Of Rice**

Once Goodman was on the stand Harvey stood up from the table, buttoning his jacket and pretending to be engrossed in some papers in front of him.

"Mr. Goodman, can I call you Roger? "

The man blinked at the unexpected question and his eyes flickered to his lawyer before he shifted in his seat.

"Sure."

Harvey smiled disarmingly. "Thank you. So, Roger, how long did you work for Miss Ronson?"

Roger leaned forward slightly in his chair to speak into the microphone, "just over a year."

Harvey nodded, sliding one hand into his pocket and paced over toward the jury, his brow furrowed as if in thought.

"And in that year, how would you describe her demeanor toward you?"

"Um, it varied."

"Women, huh?" He asked with a mischievous smile in a way that sounded like something two guys might say over a couple of beers and a ball game.

Samantha sent Mike an incredulous look and Mike pursed his lips, wanting her to have a little patience.

Roger seemed caught off guard by the question and then nodded, smiling back, "yeah."

Harvey turned and paced back in the other direction. "I'm sure I know what you mean, but for the benefit of the jury could you please describe this varying behavior?"

"Sometimes she was nice, nearly friendly. And other times," he sighed and gave Harvey a look, which made Harvey nod as if knowing where he was going with this, "usually around _that time of the month_, she was short. Demanding. I couldn't do anything right."

Several women in the jury shifted uncomfortably and Harvey continued quickly with his next question.

"And in the year you worked for her, would you say Ms. Ronson's attitude in general toward you changed at all?"

"Yeah. I'd say for sure," the man nodded and Harvey raised his eyebrows with his hands in his pockets. Interested. Non-threatening.

"In what way?"

"Well at the beginning it was a little more professional, you know? And then towards the end, well, I guess she just wasn't used to someone not returning her advances. "

Beside him, Mike saw Samantha's posture tightening minutely and he sent a quick glare to the lawyer. _C'mon Harvey, get a move on already._

Harvey rocked back on his heels, smiling. "And how would you say your work performance was while you were employed as Miss Ronson's assistant?"

The man shifted, some of the relaxation leaking out of his posture and he straightened in his chair.

"Well, I mean, I did my best."

"I'm sure you did," Harvey smiled again and then turned abruptly, walking back over to the table where Mike wordlessly handed him a stack of papers.

"Rodger, do you know what these are?"

"Yeah, they look like my performance reviews."

"Do you know what they say?"

Harvey wasn't being nearly so friendly anymore and Goodman narrowed his eyes.

"Not specifically, no."

"Your honor, if it pleases the court I'd like to read a few of Miss Ronson's comments regarding Rodger's performance during his year tenure as her assistant."

"Objection your honor! Relevance?"

Mike barely suppressed rolling his eyes. It was plain to see the relevance of reading those performance reviews and the judge said as much.

"Thank you your honor," Harvey flipped through the pages for a second and then began reading aloud. "Failure to preform work to quality standards. Insubordinate. Poor time management skills. Inability to meet required work deadlines. Lack of appropriate communication skills. Inability to properly handle anger in the-"

"Stop."

Harvey looked up at Rodger and raised his eyebrows.

"Is there a problem?"

"That stuffs not true."

"You're saying Ms. Ronson lied on an Official document required for continuation of employment at Birch Books?"

"Hell yeah!"

"So you did preform you work to a satisfactory level?"

"Of course."

"To who's satisfaction?"

He sputtered, "mine."

"But Roger, you were Ms. Ronson's assistant. Shouldn't you be preforming to _her_ satisfaction?" Harvey asked, sounding genuinely confused.

"Well, yes but-"

"And as her assistant shouldn't you-"

"She has no right to boss me around!"

"Because she's unqualified?"

"Because she's a woman!" Immediately Rodger's eyes widened and he looked over frantically at the jury, the women giving him scathing glares, the men looking a cross between horrified and disgusted. "I…that's not what I meant-"

"I think that's exactly what you meant, Rodger," Harvey interrupted, all trace of congeniality and confusion gone from his voice, giving the plaintiff a hard stare. "You're honor opposing council has presented no evidence to back up their sexual misconduct claim and clearly Miss Ronson had well documented grounds for terminating Rodger Goodman. I move this case be dismissed."

Both Goodman and his lawyer stood up to protest, but they didn't even get a word out before the judge banged his gavel.

"Motion accepted. This case is dismissed."

Harvey smirked and turned around just in time to see matching grins on Mike and Samantha's faces. The girl leapt out of her chair and turned to fling her arms around her brother, Mike squeezing her so tightly her feet left the ground.

Harvey approached the table and quietly began putting his things away, content to be ignored.

He nearly stumbled backward when he was wrapped in a surprisingly strong hug and surrounded by the scent of clean laundry and peaches.

"Thank you so much Harvey!" Samantha leaned back and grinned at him, suddenly looking far too young to even have been in this position in the first place.

"You're welcome," he nodded at her, smiling softly.

As suddenly as she'd attacked him Samantha was gone, having spotted a few supportive coworkers sitting a few rows back.

Mike sidled up beside Harvey, his messenger bag already slung over his shoulder.

"Thanks Harvey," he said quietly, watching his sister exchange relieved hugs and flip her hair out of her eyes.

Harvey didn't look at him as they began to exit the courtroom.

"I didn't do it for you."

Mike nodded, "I know."

Surprised by the contentment in his tone, Harvey turned to look and Mike met his gaze.

"That's why I'm thanking you."

* * *

><p>They'd ridden back to Pearson Hardman together to finish up some paperwork. The entire way Samantha regaled Ray with the stories of Harvey's awe-inspiring court room performance. Mike tried unsuccessfully to look bored and Harvey read the paper.<p>

It only took a few moments to sign off on everything to close the case, and Samantha bolted from the office, complaining of needing to use the ladies room since before the trial even began.

"Why didn't you go then?" Mike had asked, giving her a look.

Samantha had rolled her eyes. "I was too nervous."

"Some things will never change."

"Shut up."

Mike and Harvey stood and exchanged a congratulatory smile, walking out of Harvey's office together. Mike was on his way back to his desk, there was always more work there waiting for him.

"Hey, Mike," Harvey said, stopping the young man before he got too far.

Mike turned around, eyebrows raised expectantly. He followed Harvey's gaze down the hall to where Samantha had paused on her way back to get a glass of water and was talking to Donna, who'd just returned from a coffee break.

"You said before that the assistant wasn't your sisters type." He said it like a question, expecting Mike to fill in the blanks. Rodger Goodman certainly hadn't been bad looking. In fact, Harvey had known plenty of women to go after the tall, dark and handsome types.

Mike shook his head, returning to Harvey's side. "He's not."

"How can you be so sure?" Harvey tilted his head, watching Samantha throw her head back in laughter at something Donna said.

"I thought you said it didn't matter?" Mike said, one eyebrow raised, eyes planted firmly on his boss.

"It doesn't. I'm just curious."

Mike deadpanned. "You mean you think she's hot."

"Can you blame me?" Harvey turned toward Mike for the first time, a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Okay first of all, gross. That's my sister. And secondly," Mike shook his head, glancing down the hall and chuckling to himself, "you're not her type either."

Harvey looked affronted. "Now what kind of ridiculous statement is that? I'm everyone's type."

Mike rolled his eyes, "yeah. Because everyone's attracted to ego in a nice suit."

"A very nice suit." Harvey nodded. "Now seriously. How'd you know? And if you tell me it was just sibling loyalty I will be very disappointed."

Mike sighed and shook his head. "Because _that's _my sister's type, Harvey."

Harvey followed Mike's pointed finger down the hall. His eyebrows hit his hair line.

"Donna?" He asked, a note of disbelief in his voice. Just as he said it the woman in question let out a laugh so loud everone in the vicinity turned to look, and he noticed Samantha's hand on her forarm as she laughed right along with.

Mike shrugged. "Donna. Rachel. Jessica. Pretty much anything with high heels and a nice ass."

Harvey looked at Mike. "You been looking at Jessica's ass?"

He turned around and went back into his office, leaving a sputtering Mike to follow behind.

"What? No I-," He was interrupted by more laughter at the end of the hallway and he looked frantically back toward Harvey, who seemed entirely unconcerned and sitting at his desk on his computer. "Wait, aren't you going to do something about them?"

Mike didn't know much about Donna, but straight or not, he'd yet to meet a woman who couhd resist Samantha when she'd decided on something she really wanted.

"Relax kid, she's not Donna's type."

"Oh really? And what, prey tell, is her type?"

Harvey looked up with a smirk. "Me."

Mike rolled his eyes grandly. "Wow. How do you even make it through doors with an ego like that?"

"Keep talking Ross. I hear Louis needs another tennis buddy this weekend."

Mike blanched at the not-so-veild threat and did an about face, unable to return to his desk quick enough.

Ten minutes later Mike was thorughly engrossed in doing research for a new case when a shadow decended over his keyboard.

"Did you get her number?" He asked, not looking up.

Samantha scooted back to sit on his desk and shrugged, examining her manicure. "She was harder to crack than I thought."

Inside his head, Mike's respect for Donna went up a few notches.

Samantha raised an eyebrow at his look.

"You know I love a challenge Mike. It's only a matter of time."

At that Mike turned huge blue eyes on her. "Please Sam, for my sake, don't."

The girl deflated slightly but finally nodded.

"Fine, fine," she sighed, "well then it looks like my dinner plans just opened up. Care to join me?"

Mike raised an eyebrow as he shut down his computer.

"Already planning dinner? Cocky much?"

"Not cocky, confident, Mike," she explained, hopping off the desk and planting a hand on her hips, "cocky is unattractive."

Mike laughed, turning out his desk lamp.

"C'mon Ladykiller."

Samantha laughed, elbowing him playfully and following him to the elevators.

Harvey watched the siblings go, relief and perhaps a bit of pride settling across his chest at seeing them so obviously getting along.

He stood up and went to Donna's desk, noting a small white card with Birch Book's logo beside the keyboard that hadn't been there before.

She looked up and caught Harvey's curious look and did her best pin-up girl wink.

"I still got it."

Harvey smiled. "That mean you got dinner plans for tonight?"

"Shame on you Harvey," Donna gave him a sultry look, "you know I like to play hard to get."

"That's too bad, because I've got a reservation for two at Bertellos tonight and there's only one of me."

Upon hearing the name of her favorite restaurant Donna hastily began her shutdown routine for the night. Harvey was waiting for her when she was done, proffering his elbow with his jacket slung over his shoulder.

"Wait, you made reservations at one of the nicest restaurants in the city before having a date to take there?"

"I was planning to have a date," he responded diplomatically, facing straight ahead while they waited for the elevator.

But Donna was too smart for diplomacy.

"Samantha," she said after a moment. "You were planning on dinner with Samantha."

Harvey's smirk said it all.

Donna shook her head, her hips swishing in time with Harvey's long strides as they entered the elevator.

"Cocky."

Harvey turned toward her when the doors closed but Donna stayed facing forward, hoping it would help disguise her amusement.

He smiled slyly, "you know you love it."

"I plead the fifth."

Harvey tilted his head, knowing that even if he told her she couldn't plead the fifth in the middle of a conversation it wouldn't do him any good. He merely chuckled and turned to face the doors.

"Whatever you say, Donna."

The redhead flipped her hair off her shoulder and nodded.

"Damn straight."

END

**_Yeah, Harvey probably could have used the information about Samantha's sexual preference waaaaay earlier but...well the whole fic stemmed from that one conversation between the guys and I was confident Harvey could win the case without knowing. And look! I was right!_**


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